Roma fall in a hero's return for Houllier

Phil Thompson hailed Liverpool's achievement in reaching the Champions League quarter-finals as "one of the greatest night's in this football club's history", crowned by the return of manager Gerard Houllier.

Phil Thompson hailed Liverpool's achievement in reaching the Champions League quarter-finals as "one of the greatest night's in this football club's history", crowned by the return of manager Gerard Houllier.

The Frenchman, who has spent the last five months recovering from major heart surgery, sprang a surprise on his players by turning up to give the pre-match team talk.

He was then given a rapturous welcome by the Liverpool fans.

Thompson, Houllier's assistant, gave the post-match news conference after Liverpool had humbled the Italian champions to get into the last eight of the competition.

Thompson said: "It was a great night - one of the greatest night's in this football club's history.

"The players will go down in the history of this magnificent football team, and it was also an emotional night for Gerard.

"We discussed him giving the team talk this afternoon, and he said: `I fancy it'.

"I said `the time's right - let's do it'.

"It was great for him, I was very, very pleased and it gave the players a lift, the crowd a lift, everybody.

"If there was any night that was right for him to come back it was this one.

"We can go all the way to the final now. There's so much confidence in this squad there's a belief we can win the European Cup.

"The lads came through with flying colours and they believe they can do it.

"When it comes to the knockout stage they know they can beat anyone - they showed it when winning the Uefa Cup last season."

A seventh-minute Jari Litmanen penalty and Emile Heskey's brilliant header just after the hour put the seal on a famous win. Thompson said: "With fans like that anything is possible. It's something special that only Anfield can produce."

Heskey said his second goal had been vital but the team always believed they were capable of pulling off the necessary victory.

The England striker said: "We have missed the boss a lot. He has done a lot for the players here and everyone is glad to see him back.

"I think we can go all the way now."

Midfielder Steven Gerrard spoke of his surprise at seeing Houllier back in command.

"I was not expecting to see him back for another couple of weeks but he told us this afternoon that he wanted to be with us.

"He wanted to be part of it because it was going to be a special night.

"I don't see any reason why we can't go all the way. We are going to be hard to beat away from home and if the fans get behind us like this we are going to be hard to beat at home.

"But we are not going to get carried away.

"We have still got a lot to do before we can think about picking the trophy up." Roma coach Fabio Capello believes Liverpool can go on to win the Champions League.

Capello said: "What a great team they were tonight. I have never seen Liverpool play that well, but if they continue like that then they have a good chance of winning the Champions League.

"I believe that Heskey was the key for the Liverpool attack tonight, he was something else.

"We have not done what we know how to do and it was not the Roma we normally see on the pitch.

"We did not pass the ball well at all, but we played a different way in the second half and we risked more."